Energy and Environmental Applications of Thin Films and Coatings

Dear Colleagues,

Thin films and coatings of metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, carbides, and alloys have been employed for various applications in the energy and environmental sectors to provide specific optical, electronic, magnetic, chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties that the surfaces of bulk solid materials do not possess. 

The aim of this Special Issue is to present the latest experimental and theoretical developments in thin film coatings prepared by physical and chemical deposition methods for application in the energy and environmental sectors. This Special Issue is expected to contain a combination of original research papers and review articles from leading scientists and engineers around the world.

In particular, the topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Overview of the fundamentals and new concepts in design and use of thin film coatings for energy and environmental applications.
• Design of thin film materials and structures for particular surfaces to provide required properties.
• Recent advances in thin film deposition techniques (e.g., evaporation, sputtering and ion beam assisted deposition, chemical vapour deposition, pulsed laser deposition, sol–gel, electrodeposition, and other methods).
• Novel catalytic and photocatalytic thin film coatings for CO₂ reduction.
• Electrochemical active, conductive or corrosion protective thin films and coatings for energy storage devices including, but not limited to, batteries and supercapacitors.
• Electro-catalytic thin films and coatings for hydrogen energy technologies including hydrogen production, storage, and fuel cells.
• Transparent, antireflection, and absorbing thin film coatings for solar cells and solar thermal collectors.
• Thermochromic, electrochromic, self-cleaning, and anti-fouling thin film coatings for smart windows.
• Thin film coatings for improved hardness, abrasion resistance, and permeation for energy devices.

Prof. Dr. Dongfang Yang
Guest Editor

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